Multi-Thematic Workshop on the Development of the Regional Efficient Lighting Strategy in ECOWAS

ECREEE in conjunction with UNEP and with support from Club ER will be organizing a Multi-thematic workshop on efficient lighting in the ECOWAS region from the 2 to 3 of July 2013 in Dakar Senegal.

The ECOWAS Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) as the leading organization in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency in West Africa, in October 2012, launched an initiative on energy-efficient lighting, as one of its priority initiatives in the implementation of the ECOWAS policy on Energy Efficiency adopted in Accra, Ghana in October 2012.

The ECOWAS initiative on efficient lighting contributes to the overall development of West Africa by improving access to modern, reliable and affordable energy services, energy security and reduction of negative environmental externalities of the energy system. In addition, ECREEE will be working closely with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) en.lighten initiative in the elimination of inefficient lamps in the ECOWAS region through the initiative on efficient lighting. The UNEP en lighten initiative seeks to address the challenges of accelerating global market transformation to environmentally sustainable lighting technologies by providing technical support for the phase-out of inefficient lighting. In accordance, a kick-off meeting of the energy-efficient lighting initiative was held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in April 22, 2013.  

The achievement of a permanent and sustainable transition to efficient lighting in ECOWAS countries is dependent on the development and implementation of national and regional efficient lighting strategies with an integrated policy approach, which incorporates global best practices. The integrated policy approach ensures that all pertinent policy aspects related to energy efficient lighting are considered in the development of the strategy. This includes four strategic priorities:

• Minimum energy performance standards,
• Complementary policies and other supporting mechanisms,
• Monitoring, verification and enforcement,
• Environmentally sound management of lighting products.

One major objective of the workshop will be development of a regionally coordinated strategy document for the transition to efficient lighting, both grid and off-grid, in ECOWAS, enabling the region to meet the2016-2020 target of phasing out inefficient lighting technologies.